Library campaigns and programs built on the Kids! @ your library materials.

Scroll down to read more detail about these campaigns!

Library Card Campaign at Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (NC)

The Library Card Campaign at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County used the So Much to See. So Much to Do @ your library theme to engage and energize the Charlotte-Mecklenburg community about making sure every child in the county in grades K through 5 had a library card by January 2007.

The campaign was borne of a desire for extended collaboration between PLCMC and the public and private schools that serve the children in our community. It was our hope that the Library Card Campaign would create greater awareness of the full educational resources of our libraries while also providing students easy access to these resources through their own library card.

It was an easy pitch to the school; they understand that reading is essential to a child's educational success. Then, we learned that only 47% of children in the age range for grades K-5 were signed up with a library card. So we felt ready to step up to the plate and offer assistance on this aspect of education - literacy.

The process of getting the campaign rolling began with a lot of planning. The library's team had to meet with the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System, Mecklenburg Area Catholic Schools and the North Carolina Area Independent Schools to work out a timeline for rolling the program out at each school in the county.

Four steps were built as a way to ensure success by all parties involved:

Distribution of library card applications specific to this campaign to every child in kindergarten through 5th grade.

Processing of each child's application and the delivery of the "So Much to See" library card.

Developing promotional materials and ideas for the campaign were included in a manual and CD distributed to each library and school.

Recognition included stickers, business incentives, backpack drawing and other incentives provided by the individual schools.

Our main piece of technology used was our library's Web site which included information about the campaign, Bill Harley's song, local business incentives and other details.

The campaign ended with an increase of 26% more students with library cards or 73% of the students in the county. This was an increase of more than 20,000 students. Working together the library and schools enhanced the level of awareness of all that goes on at the library. The slogan of the campaign, "So Much to See. So Much to Do @ your library" implied to everyone that there is just so much going on, you may be missing something.

Dayton Metro Library Kids! @ your library Week (OH)

Dayton Metro Library conducted our first Kids! @ your library campaign in November 2006, timing it to coincide with Children's Book Week.

Main Library and 21 branches offered special programming that week targeting boys and girls in grades K-5. We wanted it to be "summer reading program-intensive, but only lasting a week".

Librarians were given copies of a CD with Bill Harley's song on it, as well as the sheet music and lyrics. Many used this in conjunction with programming or promotions for the week.

While some programs were passive, most were filled with activities and fun such as scavenger hunts, games and puzzles, bookmark contests, costumed character visits (rented locally), and family movie nights. The games we used can be found in the Kids! @ your library toolkit.

We purchased the ALA Graphics kits featuring the So Much to see. So Much to Do. logos for each branch. Bookmarks from the kit were used at the discretion of the branch; some used them as prizes, some handed them to patrons after programs.

Several branches used stickers with the logo (created using Avery Labels, sticking them on mini Hershey candy bars) to reward children who visited the library that week.

We had pencils made that feature our library mascot and new central phone number; these were also distributed to children who visited, or used as a prize.

That week, our library's website was set up to play Bill Harley's song@ your library whenever the page of programming for children was displayed.

To draw children into the library this week, we distributed raffle tickets for prizes, with the drawing held just after the week ended.

Each branch was given a Children of the Lamp backpack (courtesy of Schoalstic Publishing) that was filled with gift books, AV materials, and other goodies to raffle off.

Once those winners were determined at the branches, raffle tickets were sent to our Community Relations Department, where they were placed in a tumbler and several grand prize winners were drawn. These system-wide prizes included tickets to Kings Island Amusement Park, a family membership to our local children's musuem, and a movie theater gift card and were paid for by our Friends of the Library.

Over 34,000 flyers were distributed to students through schools in the DML service area. These flyers publicized a schedule of events for the closest branch, a short note to parents about the week, and the raffle ticket for the child. Children who did not receive a flyer via a school were able to receive one at the branch.

We were delighted with the media coverage that week.

One local television station did extensive coverage, featuring boys and girls doing a reader's theater presentation and the Library Rap (from the Kids! @ your library toolkit) at one branch.

The Dayton Daily News had a feature column article about the week on top of the shorter listing on the calendar of events page.

Several local newspapers carried articles about the special events at the library.

Numerous towns and cities in the DML service area issued proclamations, making it officially Kids @ your library Week in their city/town.

Although attendance numbers remained the same that week, circulation figures were up slightly and we feel it was a success and have been through an evaluation process with the children's librarians. We are in the beginning stages of planning our next Kids! @ your library campaign based on their input and lessons learned!

Maricopa County Library District February Family Festival (AZ)

In February, 2007 the Maricopa County Library District sponsored a month-long Family Festival to promote the idea that there is So Much to See, So Much to Do @ Your Library throughout Maricopa County.

A. Organizational Background

The Maricopa County Library District provides library service to all residents of Maricopa County.

The Library District operates three Regional Libraries, ten Community Libraries and a bookmobile and other outreach services.

The mission of the Library District is to provide access to a wealth of informational and recreational resources for people of all ages and backgrounds so that they may have the opportunity to expand their horizons through reading and learning with a particular emphasis on early literacy and family programs.

We participate in a state wide program called “Building a New Generation of Readers” with the goal of assisting parents and caregivers to ensure that children are ready to read when they enter school.

B. Event

We planned a Family Festival to take place in February, 2007 with events that parents and kids could enjoy together using the theme “So Much to Do, So Much to See @ Your Library.” We wanted parents to know that taking their kids to the library is one of the best and most important things they can do for their children. This was the largest event that the Library District has organized and attracted families as we from all over the County.

Throughout February, 2007 all our thirteen branch libraries held events that will highlight the role that libraries play in building literacy. We planned three signature programs. Two of those were presented in the majority of our branches.

Performances of the touring production of "River Rat and Cat" by Childsplay (http://childsplayaz.org/), the Valley’s premier theater company for young audiences.

We sponsored a two-week residency by the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers, (http://frogtownpuppets.com/) three very brilliant, talented and innovative young siblings from Bar Harbor, Maine. We have found the puppetry is one of the best ways to bring audiences into the library.

The centerpiece of our programming was a residency by the group Trout Fishing in America (www.troutmusic.com) that include four songwriting workshops for children and culminated with a capstone concert at the Maricopa County Events Center, a large performance venue in the West Valley. We planned the workshops for libraries in the Southeast and North valley to encourage attendance at the concert by families throughout the entire metro area. Trout Fishing in America has been nominated for three Grammy awards for best musical album for children, including the nominations announced on December 7, 2006, for their latest CD "My Best Day".

There was a strong educational component to all of these programs. The programs by these artists stimulated imaginations, increased interest in books and the library, improved language and literacy skills and built self-esteem.

C. Media Coverage

The highlights of our media coverage were a quarter page interview with the two members of Trout Fishing in America that was featured in the Sunday Arts and Entertainment section of the Arizona Republic, the Statewide newspaper. We also received broadcast media coverage on Channel 3's "Good Morning Arizona" program which is the most watched morning program locally. Trout Fishing in America was interviewed and performed in a segment on this program. We received coverage on Radio Disney as well.

D. Campaign Logo

We used the campaign logo in a number of ways:

Library District’s monthly Calendar of Events

In the January 2007 calendar announcing the District’s February Family Festival the logo appeared three times: on our ad for the Trout Fishing In America concert, on our ad for the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers performances, and on our ad for Childsplay’s performances of the play, River Rat & Cat

In the February 2007 calendar the logo appeared four times: on the cover of the calendar, on our ad for the Trout Fishing In America concert, on our ad for the Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers performances, and on our ad for Childsplay’s performances of the play, River Rat & Cat

Library District’s Web site – the logo was on the special events page promoting the February Family Festival.

Posters & Bookmarks – the logo was on posters in our libraries and on 15,000 bookmarks distributed at our libraries and other locations.

Press Releases – the logo was on hundreds of press releases sent out to newspapers, magazines, TV and radio stations promoting the Trout Fishing In America Concert and the other February Family Festival events. The press releases also included the wording, “The Maricopa County Library District is presenting Trout Fishing In America (or the name of another festival event) as part of its February Family Festival – So Much To Do. So Much To See. @ your library”.

The Pamunkey Regional Library is focusing on additional ways to promote library services as part of our five-year stategic plan.

Beginning in September 2006, each of the 10 branches and bookmobile of the Pamunkey Regional Library System began to use Kids! @ your library materials to highlight library resources for children. We will continue with the campaign through this school year.

Posters and bookmarks were ordered from ALA Graphics and copies of "Top 10 Things to Do With Children" are visible at each agency.

Displays are set up at each branch featuring the campaign poster and samples of materials the library has to offer children.

Programs for children are conducted by part-time staff as a part of this effort. An example program is the Kids! @ your Library program that was held at our Hanover Branch in January 2007. After showing a family movie, parents were welcomed to tour the branch to see resources for children, especially highlighting databases to which the library subscribes.

We have found having the posters and print materials available to use provides an easy opportunity to showcase materials in our libraries. We were especially happy to find the Kids! @ your library materials because we are a small library which has limited resources for creating our own graphics.

Grand Rapids Public Library Brands Their Library Card Campaign (MI)

I was surfing the internet and saw that the Grand Rapids (MI) Public Library is now conducting a library card campaign. They are using the phrase "So much to See. So Much to Do" to brand the campaign. Click on the phrase to get to it. They use the color logo here. Also, there is a link to Bill Harley's song on the page and they invite all to sing along. Here's the link to it: Grand Rapids Public Library

Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library (NY) National Library Week

The April 2007 Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Library Newsletter went out with the headline "So much to see, so much to do @ your Library!" and the campaign logo next to it in order to catch the eye of readers. The two tied the selection of library programming together in one neat publicity package. Mastics-Moriches-Shirley Community Newsletter, April 2007

Garden City Library (ID) Family Reading Week

As a part of their Family Reading Week in November 2007, the Garden City Library hosted a party with stories, activities and refreshments celebrating family reading. One of the highlights was a visit from Geronimo Stilton. The program's title was: "So Much to See. So Much to Do @ Your Library" -- the campaign slogan!Garden City Library Family Reading Week flyer

Use the Slogan for a Poetry Competition Theme, Port of Spain Children's Library (Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.)

I was surfing the internet and found that the Port of Spain Children's Library has posted their Poetry Competition Entrants on their website: Your Space (page of Port of Spain Children's Library Website. Obviously the poems were about the library, because several of the children used the same title: "So much to see, so much to do at your library".